New Hancher Season Will Begin With Goodbye

Three years after floodwaters ravaged the University of Iowa’s arts campus, Hancher Auditorium, with the help of various local venues, is gearing up for its fourth season without a performance space of its own.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s working for us,” said Chuck Swanson, Hancher’s executive director. “We’re approaching our work differently and we’re really making new friends.”

A new Hancher Auditorium should be completed by 2016 just north of the old building on the west side of the Iowa River, Swanson said. In the meantime, acts in the 2011-2012 lineup will perform at a number of nearby venues, from City High School to Carver-Hawkeye Arena. 

Swanson said he’s not sure when the old building will be torn down, but the Hancher staff is already planning a farewell for the facility. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago will perform for free Sept. 4 on Hancher Green, next to the old Hancher building, to commemorate the old building and celebrate the new one.

Prior to the event, Hancher has announced a call for submissions, asking community members to send in their favorite memories of the auditorium. After Hubbard Street performs, there will be a commemorative light show on the old building.

A favorite memory could be:

“An event or it could be when they walked across that stage as a graduate, or maybe they saw their son or their daughter dance in ‘The Nutcracker,’ ” Swanson said. “We’ve had weddings there, memorial services there, people have proposed to their significant others prior to performances; we want people to share that memory over the summer.”

Another highlight of the season is the Holiday Pops Tour of the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, with special guests Rockapella. They will perform Nov. 27 in one of the first public events to take place in the newly renovated Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The event could draw the largest audience Hancher has ever seen for a single event, Swanson added.

“So many people have seen the Boston Pops on TV, but they have never ever had even the dream that they’d see them live or in person, and here’s the opportunity for that to happen,” Swanson said. “They’re America’s orchestra. I think we’re all very fortunate.” 

Ticket prices for the event range from $35 to $75, compared to considerably higher prices (up to $120) at other stops on the orchestra’s Midwest tour, Swanson said.

“It’s the Sunday night of Thanksgiving weekend when everyone’s feeling a little blue because the holiday’s over with,” he said. “This is a way to stretch that out and then kick off the next holiday.”

Hancher also plans to continue offering educational programs related to the events that come to town, “deepening the experience for a lot of these performances by connecting these artists with University of Iowa students with K-12 graders,” Swanson said.

“It’s a great Hancher season that includes the full range of dance, music and theater, which is so great,” Swanson said.

Click here for more information on the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago performance, and to learn how to submit your Hancher memories.

Click here to see the full Hancher lineup for the 2011-2012 season.